Bake 3, 8 1/2 x 11 chocolate cakes.
Layer them one at a time and trim any humps off if they bake unevenly.
Put a layer of icing between each layer of cake.
Then frost the cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Icing
1/2 c. butter softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups 10x sugar
2 TBS of milk
For chocolate add:
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1-2 TBS milk
Beat the butter and shortening till smooth. Add vanilla. Add one cup of sugar at a time beating the whole time and scrapping the sides of the bowl down as you add. When stiff and sugar is combined then add the milk. Whip until smooth and creamy. Add chocolate ingredients for Chocolate if you are making Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting. If you let this icing set it needs to be covered with a damp cloth or it will dry out. You may add more milk if it's too thick for your liking.
To decorate the cake:
Take a piece of cardboard and cover it with aluminum foil. Place the cakes on it one layer at a time. To make the lid cut a piece of cardboard and cut it to the size of the cake. Then cover with aluminum foil and icing the lid. Place in freezer for 10 min to make it stiff so you can handle it later.
Icing the main cake with chocolate icing. Then use candy necklaces, ring pops, Menthos, fancy beads, lollipops, Gobstoppers, Fruit by the Foot (for handles and leather straps and keyhole), gold coins, green coins (leftover Mardi Gras decorations) a Pirate telescope (Dollar Tree), Sea Creature gummies etc - use your imagination.
Then to place the lid on and brace it with Kabob sticks (shorten them by about 3 inches and save the shorter pieces). Use the longer part of the stick as supports in the front. Then in the back use the two shorter pieces to stab into the cake so the lid doesn't slide off the back.
Enjoy! Watch your children be amazed!
